ABSTRACT:Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese therapeutic method, has been widely used in clinical practice to treat diseases such as stroke, Bell’s palsy, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson diseases, dysmenorrhea and chronic pain. Mounting lab data had suggested that electro-acupuncture could alleviate dementia and restore long term potentiation of hippocampus in rat. Clinical data also indicated that electro-acupuncture could improve electrical activity of brain in vascular dementia patients. However, its biological basis and acute effects on hippocampal long term potentiation (LTP) remain not well understood. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether acute electro-acupuncture (acupoints: ST36 and SP6; continuous wave, 2 mV, 2Hz; lasted 20 min) could enhance LTP of perforant path-dentate gyrus granule cells in anesthetized rat and explore its underlying mechanisms. We found that electro-acupuncture could significantly increase PS2/PS1 in pair pulse test ( p<0.05, inter-pulse interval: 20ms and 90ms). When compared to control group, electro-acupuncture could significantly enhance LTP to about 234% which was about 143% of that in control group ( p<0.05). It suggested that electro-acupuncture could modulate the function of interneurons in hippocampus hence increase LTP.

Using Oral Ketamine and Alternating Bi-lateral Stimulation of Eye Movement Densitization to Sedate Pediatric Patient and to Minimize Adverse Reaction of Ketamine by Means of Acupuncture

Dominic P. Lu, DDSClinical Professor of Oral MedicineCourse Director, Selective in Pain and AnxietyControl, School of Dental Medicine University of Pennsylvania, and President, American Society for the Advancement of Anesthesia in Dentistry

ABSTRACT:Ketamine, besides being an anesthetic agent, is also a strong analgesic that can be especially useful for painful procedures. Vivid dreams and nightmare, considered as undesirable side effects of ketamine, are rarely encountered when administrated orally, making it one of the most desirable oral sedative for children because it partially protects the pharyngeal- laryngeal reflex. Besides, if used in recommended dosage, it does not suppress the cardiopulmonary function as most other sedatives do. Ketamine’s bronchodilator effect makes it a good sedative for children with asthma, allergies, and hay fever. Alternating bi-lateral stimulation (ABLS) of eye movement desensitization, applying pre-operatively before ketamine was found to reduce the post-operative violent emergence and behavioral problems. Acupressure at P 6 (Neikuan) acupoint helps to decrease nausea and vomiting episodes by ketamine. 36 patients with history of unmanageable behavior were sedated with ketamine 3mg/kg and ABLS. To prevent possible adverse reaction, Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT) were used to test all patients. ABLS significantly decreased tearful separation from parent. It took 15 to 20 minutes for ketamine to take effect, peak effect took 20 to 25 minutes. Working time ranged from 20 to 40 minutes. Post-operative recovery was more pleasant when ABLS was combined with ketamine, acupuncture/acupressure not only prevented vomiting and BDORT safeguard the patients from unpredictable untoward side effects but also promoting calmness.

Effects of Combining Electroacupuncture with General Anesthesia Induced by Sevoflurane in Patients Undergoing Supratentorial Craniotomy and Improvements in Their Clinical Recovery Profile & Blood Enkephalin

ABSTRACT:Drug-induced anesthesia combined with electroacupuncture (EA) in patients has been put into practice in recent years in China. In this study, we showed the effectiveness of EA on the speed of post-operative recovery of patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy and the potential clinical mechanism of EA. Dual channel electrical stimulator made by HANS Beijing connected the following acupoints respectively: LI4 (Hegu), SJ5 (Waiguan), ST36 (Zusanli), BL63 (Jinmen), LR3 (Taichong), and GB40 (Qiuxu). Disperse-dense and symmetric biphasic pulse waves were selected, frequency of waves (pulse rates) were 2Hz/100Hz, altered/3sec; pulse duration was 0.6ms/0.2ms, 2Hz: 0.6ms,100Hz: 0.2ms; symmetric biphasic pulse wave. We found that the EA-group required 9.62% less sevoflurane than the sham EA-group (P<0.05). During recovery from anesthesia, the autonomous respiration recovery time, tracheo-tube removal time, eye-opening time, voluntary motor recovery time, orientation force recovery time, and the operating-room departure time of the EA-group were all significantly shortened 35.86%, 27.07%, 38.38%, 30.11%, 34.95%, 28.80% than the corresponding sham EA-group, respectively (P<0.05). The serum enkephalin values were elevated in the EA group versus the sham EA-group.